Our Favorite Jarred Salsa Macha Flavor Is Untraditional And Perfectly Balanced

Asian chili oil crisp has been running a victory lap around the modern food scene for a while now. But, if you haven't heard of its Mexican counterpart, salsa macha, don't panic, you aren't that late to the party. It only recently broke through on to the semi-mainstream gastronomic scene in the U.S. If you haven't tried it before, salsa macha is the spicy, nutty, crunchy, oil-based, chili-infused condiment for salsa lovers. Dried chili peppers, crushed peanuts, and various other suspended ingredients offer different, but equally delectable, levels of savory zing and heat. 

In Tasting Table's definitive ranking of nine jarred salsa macha sauces, Masienda brand's Guajillo, Cranberry, and Hazelnut Salsa Macha easily swept the competition. This chewy, earthy macha boasts a textural element that sets it above competitor offerings. Where Masienda's macha truly shines, though, is in balance and creativity. The inventive interplay of guajillo chili pepper, cranberry, and hazelnut was expertly proportioned to deliver all the right notes on all the right levels, making this non-traditional ingredient combo feel like a welcome upgrade rather than jarring. 

The hazelnuts are an interesting counterpoint to peanuts, which are more typical in these kinds of recipes, and they pair wonderfully with the cranberries, whose slight tartness complements all of the other flavors surprisingly well. We also appreciated how Masienda's macha salsa leaned a bit funkier and more dimensional than ultra-spicy — bonus points for accessibility (and a fitting welcome mat for macha beginners). 

We aren't the only ones digging this product. Masienda — a portmanteau of "masa" (dough) and "tienda" (store) — has made a name for itself as a reliable supplier of traditional, and tasty, Mexican foodstuffs since 2014, and its salsa macha even earned a dedicated New York Times write-up in 2021. Traditional Mexican macha typically hails from one of three regions: Veracruz, Chiapas, or Oaxaca; Masienda is an Oaxaca-based company that works with small-scale traditional Mexican farmers. But, if we were going to dock points anywhere, it'd be for availability. At the time of writing, the Masienda brand has yet to break into major mainstream retailers. 

Our favorite salsa macha is available for online purchase via grocery delivery retailer Weee! ($18 per 9-ounce jar) and at some specialty brick-and-mortar shops, like Jean-Georges' Tin Building in Manhattan. Masienda currently has a presence in over 1,000 grocery shops across the U.S., with plans to expand in the future. As Masienda shared in its 2024 Sourcing Report, "In the coming year, we hope to increase our availability at retail stores and supermarkets near you, expand and diversify our supply chain, and, as that one commercial put it, bring masa to the masses." 

Until then, we highly recommend that intrigued foodies get their hands on a jar of the Guajillo, Cranberry, and Hazelnut Salsa Macha however they can. It makes for a deliciously multi-layered topping for quesadillas and tacos, and can even be spooned over warm rice bowls, baked fish, eggs, and more.